Charla Nash struggles to rebuild her life four years after chimp attack as she reveals that no one at her nursing home comes near her
- Charla Nash lost her eyes, nose, mouth and hands when she was attacked by a friend's chimpanzee in Connecticut in 2009
- She has since undergone a face transplant and been fitted with new teeth
- But she struggles with her loss of independence at a Massachusetts nursing home - where the staff and residents keep their distance
- She spends her days listening to audio books, walking the hallways and hoping that one day she will be able to return to a home
Charla Nash, the woman whose face and hands were ripped off in a brutal chimpanzee attack, has revealed how she is struggling to rebuild her life four years on.
In a moving interview, the 60-year-old revealed that she has no independence at her Massachusetts nursing home, where none of her fellow residents come near her.
'Unfortunately, there's not a whole lot I can do,' she told the Boston Herald. 'I've lost so much independence... I could change my own truck tire, and now I can’t even feed myself.'
Nash's life forever changed in 2009 when she was attacked by a friend's chimp, Travis, in Stamford, Connecticut. She remembers none of the attack that claimed her eyes, nose, lips and hands.
In 2011, she underwent a full face transplant at Brigham and Women’s Hospital - the hospital's third - and was fitted with glass eyes. A hand transplant was unsuccessful.
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Victim: Charla Nash, pictured on Tuesday, lost her eyes, nose, lips and hands in a brutal chimp attack in 2009. She has now spoken out about how she struggles with her loss of independence
Most recently, she was fitted with teeth that allow her to chew tougher foods, such as chicken. When she spoke with the Boston Herald, her speech was intentional and clear.
'It’'s very hard to live. Not even live - half-live,' Nash said. 'Sometimes you want to cry, you want out, you want some kind of home. I don't know what my future is, that's the scary part.'
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Now her days consist of listening to audio books and walking the hallways of the nursing facility. She also practices facial expressions and is slowly getting used to her new teeth.
'They just made some bottom teeth for me recently,' she said. 'I'm not used to them yet. It's still a little bit of work eating.
Saved: She underwent a face transplant in 2011 and was fitted with glass eyes. She recently got a new set of bottom teeth, which she says she is still getting used to
Injuries: She was left with a thumb on one hand and lost the other hand between her wrist and elbow
'I can't chew steak. I can chew chicken, it's a little softer. I can chew pizza. The crust is hard, but the pizza is OK. I'm starting to get back into eating salads again. That was my favorite, salads.'
She hopes that one day she will be able to live at home instead of a facility. In the nursing home, she says that the staff and residents keep their distance, perhaps out of fear.
She said that it's tough that the staff and residents aren't making the situation easier for her, but that she's determined to get on without their encouragement.
'I've never been a quitter,' said Nash, who bought up her daughter, Briana, on her own.
Violent: Nash, pictured before the attack (right), was attacked by her friend's chimp Travis (left) in 2009
Life changing: An illustration, left, shows how Nash's face was damaged in the attack - she lost her eyes, nose and lips. But the transplant, right, gave her back these features
Intense: A team of more than 30 physicians, nurses, residents and other clinical staff are pictured at work during the 20 hour procedure at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston
She also hopes to use her story so that others don't have to face a similar ordeal, and is working with advocates on a video to encourage stronger laws restricting exotic animals.
She said she never felt at ease with Travis being locked up in her friend's home. The friend, Sandra Herold, died of an aneurism in 2010.
'I remember looking at him in his cage and feeling sorry for him,' she said. 'My thoughts were always, "How is she allowed this animal in her house? What if he gets loose someday and somebody gets hurt?" I know the animals are cute - but they're just not pets.'
After the attack, her family sought permission to sue Connecticut for $150 million for failing to seize the animal before the attack.
But the state claims commissioner died permission, saying that state law did not prohibit the private ownership of chimpanzees at the time of the attack.
After the transplant: She underwent a face transplant in 2011, pictured, and was given glass eyes
New life: Nash is pictured at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford, Connecticut in 2012
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